


A Temporary Respite

by LostCauses (Anteros)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, eruri - Freeform, mikeri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 06:19:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5406227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anteros/pseuds/LostCauses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike may be able to catch Levi as he falls, but he cannot hold him, cannot stop him in his tracks, cannot overpower him with his will.  The only one who has ever been able to do that is Erwin Smith.  Deep down, Mike knows that it has always been Erwin.  It has only ever been Erwin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Temporary Respite

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Временная замена (A Temporary Respite)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12285618) by [takeapillifitmakesyoufeelbetter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeapillifitmakesyoufeelbetter/pseuds/takeapillifitmakesyoufeelbetter)
  * Inspired by [Blue Eyes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5407598) by [guttersharkk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/guttersharkk/pseuds/guttersharkk). 



> The lovely [trashforthetrashblog](http://trashforthetrashblog.tumblr.com/) / [guttersharkk](http://archiveofourown.org/users/guttersharkk/pseuds/guttersharkk) wrote [Blue Eyes](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5407598), a gorgeous, heart stopping, heartbreaking fic in response to the prompt: shackled, blood. I couldn’t resist piling on the angst, so here’s a teeny tiny little follow on drabble.
> 
> This fic has been translated into Russian by [takeapillifitmakesyoufeelbetter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeapillifitmakesyoufeelbetter/pseuds/takeapillifitmakesyoufeelbetter) [Временная замена](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12285618). <3

The water feels cool against Mike’s wrists as he places his hands in the sink and leans forward, forehead resting against the cracked mirror. A drop of blood slides off the tip of his nose and falls silently into the water, unfurling, blossoming, dissipating. Another falls, and another. He turns his palm over in the water to catch the drops as they fall and blossom but they slip through his fingers, tingeing the water pink. 

Like Levi. Continually slipping through his fingers, sliding away from him. Levi is not one to be held. At least not by him. Despite the nights they have shared, nights when Levi has begged him on his knees to fuck him until he is oblivious to the pain, nights when Mike has wrapped his arms around him, whispering soft words into his hair until the fear dwindles and the nightmares recede. Despite all these nights, Mike cannot hold him, and part of him does not want to. Levi will not be held against his will and any attempt to do so will only turn him into a vicious, bitter, poisonous thing. 

Mike may be able to catch Levi as he falls, but he cannot hold him, cannot stop him in his tracks, cannot overpower him with his will. The only one who has ever been able to do that is Erwin Smith. Deep down, Mike knows that it has always been Erwin. It has only ever been Erwin. 

It’s not that Levi doesn’t care for him; far from it, the look of horror and shame on his face as he came to his senses with Erwin’s name on his lips, is proof enough that he cares and cares deeply. And it’s not that he doesn’t need him. Mike knows exactly how much Levi needs him. Knows that he needs a strong warm body beside him in the darkness to push back the desperation and the fear, to distract him from the awful absence of those that are gone. Mike knows how much Levi cares for him, needs him, but for all that, he knows he is only a temporary respite.

From the room next door he hears Levi cursing and scrabbling for his clothes. There’s a muttered apology, the door bangs and he’s gone. Mike watches the blood dripping into the water, unfurling, blossoming, dissipating. He knows Levi will be back when the need and the nightmares and the loneliness get too much. He’ll be back, unless Erwin is a brave enough man to admit that he is the only one who can hold Levi.


End file.
